Northwest NEWS

Alex Sidie honored for his charity, kindness

If you have been on Main Street in Bothell lately, you may have noticed something new.

A wooden rendering of Bothell's own Alex Sidie has been erected on the Towne Bank and Paul Richard's Clothing building in honor of a man who is remembered for his charity and kindness.

Sidie, who passed away two years ago, owned Sidie Pharmacy in the place now occupied by Towne Bank. According to Al Cox, owner of Al Cox Signs at 17514 Bothell Way NE and the man responsible for building the likeness, a person could "always rely on [Sidie] to give from his heart."

"Sidie was my landlord for 20 years," said Paul Desilet, owner of Paul Richard's Clothing, a men's apparel store. Desilet described Sidie as not being very religious in a strict sense, yet being the most religious person he knew because of how he treated people. "He gave and gave and gave," said the business owner, "most often his money."

According to Desilet, Sidie gave to people in the community, as well as the city and local high schools. As a pharmacist, said Desilet, Sidie would wake up in the middle of the night to bring people their medicine.

In honor of Sidie, Desilet said that the city of Bothell and people in the business community created Random Acts of Kindness Day, which is celebrated on Sidie's birthday, May 25. According to Desilet, each year, one person is selected for an award, which is handed out by the King County Parks Department and the Bothell community.

Desilet said that it is purely coincidental that the statue was done around Random Acts of Kindness Day.

Desilet said that he and his wife, Catherine, while in Anacortes, Washington, noticed historical figures that the community had put out for all to see. "We ought to do something like that," Desilet told his wife, who thought of Sidie.

The couple went to Al Cox and asked him to build the memorial. After visiting Anacortes himself, Cox created the Sidie statue. The historical figures in Anacortes, said Cox, were "inspirational. We thought Bothell Main Street should have something like that," he said.

The image shows Sidie smiling, wearing glasses and a gray-striped suit, because according to Cox, he was known for his selection of suits. There is also a cat at his feet, because, said Desilet, of his love for cats.

"We are real proud of it," said Desilet. "We hope we can do more of them over time."

Desilet and his wife would like to honor with renderings of other individuals from Bothell who have made the community a better place to live. Cox agreed, saying, "There are other people in town that should probably be recognized."

Christina Coughlin is a student in the University of Washington School of Communications News Laboratory.